1st Word - Dog

On our Oregon trip Maylee was around five dogs (Yankee, Libby, Dakota, Mason, and Elsie).  When she would see one she would point to it and consistently say dog without the /g/.  So, dog is her first word!  She says Mama and Dada but I'm not convinced that she is calling us our names vs just saying those sounds. 

Here she is trying to be the boss of Yankee (the only dog of the five that wasn't a lab).

When we got back, Cinder stayed with Maylee and I instead of Kev because he was called out to a couple fires.  Maylee LOVED her time with Cinder!  Although, there were times when Cinder was tired and wanted to sleep and Maylee would crawl over and bother her dog.  Cinder would have an annoyed older sibling look on her face, get up and find a new spot to lay down, and then move again after Maylee crawled after her and bothered her more.  Maylee just loves to "pat-pat" Cinder, crawl up and over Cinder, and pull on Cinder's ears, jowls, eyes, and tail.  Cinder puts up with this abuse and will walk away when she has had enough.

 

More Oregon Trip Pics

 Maylee looked cute in Aunt Shelly's veil, but took it off quick.

Shelly's friend has a girl that is close to Maylee's age.  The two girls had a great time at the shower.  

In this picture, Great Grandma Doris is trying to tell Maylee to be quiet because Maylee is loudly showing off her new sound at the bridal shower that Grandma Doris taught her the day before.

 Here's Maylee with Aunt Jan's two boys (Connor on the left and Derek on the right)

We also met up with my college friend Kelly and her two cuties (Lacy and Ashley) before heading back to Idaho.  It was quite difficult to get a picture with all three girls looking at the camera with good expressions.

And this last picture taken right before we got to Pullman says...
"I've had enough riding in the car and my diaper stinks!"

Dinner with Family at Red Robin

Saturday evening (after the zoo so Maylee was still tired) we met up with Kevro's relatives that live in the Portland area.  We also took this opportunity to celebrate Grandma Julie's birthday.  She was sooo embarrassed (for the record - it was Shelly's idea)!

Oregon Zoo

We went over to Oregon for Shelly's Washington bridal shower, but had extra days in our trip planned for family and shopping.  On Saturday, Grandma Julie, Shelly, Brother Kevin, Maylee & I went to the zoo.  Aunt Jan and Great Grandma Doris joined us later at the zoo.

We had a AWESOME time at the zoo and we are so going back when Maylee is older!!!  I wasn't sure if Maylee would enjoy it a lot due to her age but she proved me wrong.  She had a 40 minute nap on the way to the zoo and then was awake and happy the whole time we were there!  Of course she crashed as we were walking out and back to our car.  There were many exhibits that we could wheel the stroller up to the glass to see.  She loved watching the fish, ducks, and otters this way.  Sometimes we would carry her and she would kick her legs and want down to play with the animals we were watching.  (Sorry Maylee, but not all animals are like your dog and will let you crawl over them and pat them.)

 

They hauled in snow for the bears to cool down with.

She is in awe watching the fish swim! (Her mouth is open)

She loved the petting the goats!

Checking out monkeys

She liked watching this elephant move!

 Aunt Jan showed Maylee the zebra and then as we walked towards the giraffe she was kicking to be put down to play with the zebra.  I put her down and she just danced and babbled to the zebra for quite awhile.  People walking by would laugh and tell me how cute she is.

Shelly's bling-bling and Uncle Kevin's cup exhibits were also very interesting.

The lion exhibit is the newest but the lions must have been resting from the heat.

Pictures of her on our way back to the car and on the way back to Uncle Kevin's place.  She usually wakes up when you transfer her from stroller to car seat but not this time!  What a great time!

Maylee is 10 months old!

Things Maylee knows...

• Up and Down - when I say "up," she pulls herself up and when I say "down," she sits down (She has been doing this one since May)
• Dance - she will bend her knees to bob up and down (She's been dong this one since June)
• The meaning of "No" - sometimes cries when I say no to something she wants...makes me laugh even though I hurt her feelings and ruined her plan
• Blow - she will either do the raspberry or blow on your body to make a noise
• Kiss - she will give you an open mouth, slobbery kiss
• High Five - uses one hand to pat your hand that is held in front of her
• Belly - uses both hands to tap her belly
• "Uh" - when you say "uh-oh" she repeats it back but only says the "uh." She also will say "uh" after she drops something and has said it after making rumble noises in her diaper...(laughed out loud that day)
• Pat Pat - She will pat her dog or you with an open hand
• Milk - when I say "milk" she is looking for the milk stand to open and is ready to eat
• More - can do sign language for "more"
• "Indian" Noise - Great Grandma Doris taught her to pat her hand over her mouth when she is saying "ahhh" to make a fun sounds
• She knows Mama & Da-da and can say the sounds but doesn't call us by our names yet
• She says the first two phonemes in the word dog (/d/-/o/) when she sees Cinder or other dogs
• She is also really good with her grasping and before she was nine months old she could pick up small little fuzzies on blankets to put in her mouth.
• She can crawl forward, sit independently and turn 360 degrees using her feet, pull herself up, and walk along furniture or by holding someone else's hands.
• She can mimic well
• She makes too many noises to count...some that I can't even make with my mouth.  She has a great 4-wheeler/motorcycle noise and a Trail 90 noise. She is ready for hunting camp!

She still sucks her thumb to fall asleep, but once she is asleep she stops and she doesn't suck it other times. She usually sucks her right thumb and now her left hand will simulationsly rub her left ear and hair.

Note: I have updated this list four times and keep thinking of more things that she can do.  I'm still probably forgetting things.

I LOVE Chocolate!

Maylee got a lick of a chocolate spoon & then said "Ummmm" while clenching her fists!  We laughed!

Mayleehaven & Lutherhaven

I spent many summer going to Lutherhaven for summer camp and now cousin Emma goes.  It was neat to see Lutherhaven again when we dropped Emma off and picked her up at the end of the week.  Her sister Sarah did not want to go this year and chose to spend the week at "Mayleehaven" instead.  Sarah was a huge help and entertained Maylee while I got a lot of my summer projects done.  Sarah could get her out of her crib after naps, take her in & out of her high chair, and loved feeding her.

Bath Time

 Reading to Maylee (Maylee can turn pages now)

Cereal Feeding

Breakfast Bottle Feeding

 After swimming in the neighbor's pool.

Americana Girls

Sarah learned how to sew while Maylee was napping.  She made this pillowcase with rick rack and did a great job.  We also made brownies!

Bike ride on a day Kev could join us.  I sewed a sun shade for Maylee so the sun doesn't beat on her. Sarah helped pick out the fabric to match the trailer.

Lutherhaven

(tree house with a slide)

Bell tower that Grandma Julie helped build when she was a kid!